1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements for separation processes which utilize simulated countercurrent flow systems wherein fluid streams flow through serially and circularly interconnected desorption, rectification and sorption zones. In particular, it pertains to improvements in separation performance of a simulated moving-bed adsorption-separation process which is used to separate certain hydrocarbons from unsaturated hydrocarbons and also from saturated hydrocarbons by employing the dual desorbent composition and/or the dual temperature technique disclosed herein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present process employing the above techniques is an improvement of the simulated countercurrent flow processes described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,533 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,201,491. In the so-called simulated countercurrent flow system, the adsorption separation column is generally divided into three (or four equivalent) zones: a sorption zone, (a primary rectification zone,) a desorption zone and a (secondary) rectification zone. A downstream portion of the sorption zone is sometimes called a primary rectification zone. These zones are serially inter-connected in order and a continuously circulated fluid stream flowing through the three (or four) zones is maintained by circulating the effluent fluid from an outlet of the last zone to an inlet of the first zone; all the points of introducing and withdrawing the inlet and outlet streams are simultaneously shifted, at stated intervals of time, in a downstream direction to thereby provide a simulated countercurrent flow system wherein there is achieved a processing effect similar to that observed in a moving-bed type adsorption process. In such a process, at least one of the components of the liquid feedmixture is selectively sorbed by contact with solid sorbent particles; said liquid feed mixture is allowed to flow through the three serially and circularly interconnected zones, i.e., the desorption, the rectification and the sorption zones, each zone being divided into a plurality of serially interconnected sections, each section being packed with a mass of solid sorbent particles; introducing a desorbent stream into the first section of the desorption zone; introducing the liquid feed mixture to the first section of the sorption zone and withdrawing a raffinate effluent comprising a less sorbed component and the desorbent from the sorption zone; and all the points of introducing and withdrawing the liquid streams into and from the sections are simultaneously shifted, at stated intervals of time, in a downstream direction, while maintaining the same order to continuity and the same spatial relationship between all the points.
In conducting the above-described process, several attempts were made to reduce the total desorbent requirements and also enhance the purity of the recovered sorbate. Stine et al., for example, disclosed a process in U.S. Pat. No. 3,201,491(1965) which employs a portion of the desorption effluent withdrawn from the last section of the desorption zone by passing it directly into the (secondary) rectification zone in order to physically wash the raffinate materials remaining in the inactive void interstices between the active sorbent particles. An externally-prepared purging fluid comprising the sorbate and raffinate components of the feedstock was also claimed in their patent. Another improvement described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,815 (Fickel; 1967) envisions the employment of a stream consisting essentially of an inert material in order to flush non-selectively sorbable components of the feedstock from the interstitial void spaces between the sorbent particles in the rectification zone. A third method which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,533 (Otani et al.; 1973) introduces a portion of the desorption effluent which is rich in sorbate content into the rectification zone for the purpose of enhancing the purity of the sorbate component adsorbed within the rectification zone.
The above methods, however, contain certain deficiencies. The use of a portion of the desorption effluent will not only result in an increase in the desorbent consumption but also can desorb certain amounts of sorbate adsorbed within the rectification zone and thereby limit the overall efficiency of the system. Further, Fickel's concept of employing a flushing stream consisting essentially of an inert material may not provide an adequate means to desorb chemically-adsorbed raffinate materials; and, consequently, the purity of the sorbate product may not be satisfactory. It has now been discovered that the employment of the dual desorbent composition technique and/or the dual temperature technique described herein can substantially eliminate the above deficiencies and markedly improve the overall performance of sorption-separation processes.